By Jerry Burke
Even though last year's $25.7 million budget passed by a razor-thin margin of 7 votes, 786 to 779, many were surprised to see such a large turnout. "I've spent a considerable amount of time with the staff concerning the budget of what should go in and what should go out," Superintendent of Schools Dr. Timothy Lafferty said at the board's June 1 meeting. "Given the information discussed with the community, it was unexpected that the budget didn't pass, but it is understandable."
After much deliberation and receiving input from the community, the board decided to trim some staff positions in order to resubmit the budget to the community. The cuts will lower the average home tax increase from roughly $135 per household with the original plan down to about $104. The new budget lobs nearly $415,000 off the original proposal.
The measure will go to a vote on Monday, June 20. If the proposal were to be defeated again, the district would be forced to operate on a contingency budget. The district can also choose to forgo a revote and operate on contingency, which would allow an increase of no more than 3.24 percent, or about $830,000, nearly $1 million less than this year's budget had asked for.
Board of Education President Dr. Roger Roess said a contingency budget would require even more drastic cuts to purchasing new equipment, public use of school buildings and grounds, capital expenditures, salary increases of non-instructional employees who are not members of a collective bargaining unit or who do not have contractual agreements and non-essential programs like summer, after school, and child care programs.
We have to cut the budget where it hurts," Roess said. "We have no control over allocation." With that, the board focused on staff reductions and textbook updates.
"Everyone put a lot of time and effort into ensuring the maintenance of past programs that have brought us so much success," said Lafferty, arguing that the district's high ELA scores, among other positive indicators, justified the numbers. "We included no new expenditures in the original budget, but we hear the community."
Lafferty said nearly all of the proposed increases were earmarked for mandated programs, including increases in teacher salaries, transportation costs and insurance premiums.
Even if the budget passes, class sizes and other matters would have to be reevaluated in the future.
"To put the rejected budget out again would be arrogant," said John Randazzo, a trustee who opted on the minor cuts. "I'm afraid to put it out and get knocked down again."
"Austerity will devastate the system," said trustee Audrey Hulsart. "We have a responsibility for the children to receive the same education we did."
Voters are urged to call the district for voting information at 481-4100 for more information.
